three votes: Johnny Cash, Unearthed; Sun Kil Moon, Ghosts of the Great Highway; The Books, The Lemon of Pink; Muse, Absolution; Soundtrack, Lost in Translation; Rufus Wainwright, Want One; Madonna, American Life

editor’s note: There were forty-five respondents to this year’s music poll, an all-time high. I went into it virtually sure that the White Stripes would dominate. How wrong I was! In the early returns, it looked like Outkast would garner a surprise win. But The Postal Service came from behind and (pardon the pun) delivered. And Liz Phair showed that for all the people who hate the new album, there are at least two who love it.

INDIVIDUAL LISTS:

David Picks a Band Who’s Name Will Sound Very Strange To Those Who Haven’t Heard the Band

Most Essential:

Death Cab for Cutie, Transatlanticism

This was a very close call for me; some days I’m Death Cab for Cutie, some days I’m Postal Service. But when push came to shove (and I didn’t allow myself a tie), Transatlanticism won out. Because it is an album I know I will be listening to for the rest of my life. Because the song “Transatlanticism” sweeps me up every time I hear it with the force of its simplicity. Because “Passenger Seat”, the song after, is the novel I dream of writing. Every detail perfect. The first time I heard it, I actually cried on the PATH train. It caught me so unaware. And was so effortlessly beautiful. And the rest of the album is almost as good as this one-two punch. Nothing Death Cab for Cutie recorded before hit me nearly as strong. Proving that Mr. Gibbard learned a lot from his other band …

Essential:

The Postal Service, Give Up

…The Postal Service. I’ve listened to this all year and I’m still not at all tired of it. “I’ve been thinking it’s a sign / that the freckles of our eyes are mirror images / and when we kiss they’re perfectly aligned” (from “Such Great Heights”) and “I want in life in every word / to the extent that it’s absurd” (from “Clark Gable”) are two of my favorite lines of the year. The blend of whimsy, heart, and aural cinematography creates an album that its futile to resist.

Liz Phair, Liz Phair

Yes, it’s pop. So fucking what? The lyrics are still sharp (as anyone who’s been stuck humming “H.W.C” in the halls of their workplace can attest) and her thin voice can still hit where it needs to. All told, this album is the one I’ve played the most this year (as my poor summer intern attested when he revealed that he knew all the lyrics at the end of the summer). Sometimes I just want to listen to an album and feel like a 15-yr-old girl.

Dashboard Confessional, A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar

. . . And sometimes I want to listen to an album and feel like a 15-yr-old boy. (See also: Blink-182). Deep? Nah. Sincere and catchy? Absolutely. And I like the Smiths riff every now and then. A surprise that hasn’t left my headphones.

Dar Williams, The Beauty of the Rain

Another album I couldn’t stop listening to. At first I thought it might be overproduced, because I was used to the sparer concert versions of the songs. But eventually I got used to the production and grew to love it. Contains some of her strongest songs – “The Beauty of the Rain”, “Mercy of the Fallen”, “Closer to You” … my favorite still changes on every listen.

Placebo, Sleeping with Ghosts

Grabs hold and doesn’t let go, whether it’s feverish or haunting. I never expected to like Placebo so much, but this album really did it for me.

Nada Surf, Let Go

Nada Surf? The “Popular” band? It took a lot of good reviews for me to purchase this, and I’m damn glad I did. “Blonde on Blonde” is easily one of the best radio songs involving a radio ever. And “Killian Red” is downright epic. Beautiful, passionate, thoughtful music to soundtrack long drives and long nights.

Recently Bought and Might Prove to Be Essential:

Sun Kil Moon, Ghosts of the Great HighwayJeff Buckley, Live at Sin-EThe Weakerthans, Reconstruction Site

Bought Last Year on Import, So Don’t Know if it Counts as Essential This Year:

Damien Rice, O (who, along with Julia Fordham, gave one of the two best shows of the year.)

Almost Essential:

Erin McKeown, Grand; Rufus Wainwright, Want One; Tegan and Sara, If It Were You; Howie Day, Stop All the World Now

Artist Who I Feel I Neglected in the Past But Now Am a Genuine Fan Of:Ben Folds

Artists Who May Have Jumped the Shark:Ryan Adams – not one, not two, but three substandard releasesRadiohead – I feel bad about this, since I’ve barely listened to Hail to the Thief. Then again, there must have been a reason for that. Maybe it’s a late bloomer.Travis – proving that, unfortunately, one way of delineating yourself from Coldplay is to make a crap album

New Artists to Keep an Eye On:Josh Ritter, the Fiery Furnaces, Joss Stone

Rachel C, Pod Princess

My life was all about the iPod this year, so I must confess I don’t think I bought many albums that were released in 2003 as I was too busy downloading albums pre-then to my computer!

But here are the few faves I can come up with:

The Waifs, Up All Night

Deacon John, Deacon John’s Jump Blues

OutKast, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

(I refuse to be shamed into not admitting this) Kelly Clarkson, Thankful – and yeah, I voted for her from the beginning! Clay too!

And it’s all about my girl, Beyonce, Dangerously In Love.

Two singles I loved were “Take Me Away” by FeFe Dobson and “Powerless” by Nelly Furtado.

That’s all I can think of. I know everyone loved Fountains of Wayne and I like ‘em okay, but faves, no. Still have not heard new Lucinda Williams album.

Patrick Has One Choice for the Year, and it is…

Radiohead, Hail to the Thief

Jeffrey, Who Nightly Says Hello to Dolly

Oh jeebas. I feel as if I've been elected into a cult here. But maybeit's like a superhero cult. One in which we battle booger-bots.

I thought the White Stripes were the fabulous Crest product used towhiten teeth and fund bad housewife country music demographic studies?

Top 5 most intriguing albums introduced to me by working at Teen Central that would totally crack my punk rock credibility if word got out:

Justin Timberlake--JustifiedLinkin Park--MeteoraPink--MizzundastoodColdplay--Rush of Blood to the HeadGood Charlotte--Young and the Hopeless

A bunch of random songs that weren't included on any album that I know of, but were really great:Hey That's My Only Necktie--PonysNo Fly--CharleneLove On the March--Belle and SebastianNeedle of Death, Today Is the Day (EP version), Nuclear War--Yo La Tengothe whole Greg Weeks EP

Nico, Who Sleeps With Something Other Than a Ghost

In order:

Placebo, Sleeping with Ghosts **MOST ESSENTIAL, obviously**Radiohead, Hail to the ThiefBritney Spears, In the ZoneMadonna, American LifeMarilyn Manson, The Golden Age of Grotesque

ok! off to class i go!

Aviv Has Something to Say

I know that you'll probably disagree, but I'd like tonominate the White Stripes for "most overrated,overhyped band."

Yeah, they've got attitude, and cool videos. But themusic ain't anything that hasn't been done before, andJack is so full of himself that he's insufferable.

But what do I know. I'm an old man. Nancy, Who Knows What She Likes and Listens To It Repeatedly

i did nothing all year but listen to these five albums onobsessive-compulsive repeat:

death cab for cutie: transatlanticismpostal service: give upalvin ailey revelations cdkrishna das: breath of the heartfolksongs for the afterlife: put danger back in your life

Matthew E., Who Put A LOT of Thought Into This

Most Essential (a tie!)

Sun Kil Moon, Ghosts of the Great HighwayEvery song on this album could be the best song on any Red House Painters album.

The Books, The Lemon of PinkThere is no way to describe this album. It also gets the best album title of the year.

Maybe I'll buy these bands' albums, but maybe I'll be sick of the front single before I get around to it:The Darkness, Jet

Songs that I play really loud on the radio but do not own the albums to:anything Justin TimberlakeBeyonce, Crazy in LoveKellis, Milkshake50 Cent, In Da Club

Looking ahead, new albums by old favorites that I want to buy in 2004:Stereophonics, Phantom Planet

Jen G and Her Story, Which We Can Only Sympathize With

I don't think I'm hip enough to respond, but honestly what I've listened to new in the last year are the Bend It Like Beckham soundtrack and that Nirvana greatest hits CD (very useful for getting through post-breakup bitterness).

I'd like to add Jack Johnson's On and On, but unfortunately I only got to listen to it for 2 hours. I bought it in a pit stop in a rental car on a drive from Boston to New Hampshire and liked it a lot, but once I got to New Hampshire it disappeared (I think my friend's friend will find it in his driveway once the snow melts in the spring). I'm writing this off to karma because the rental car had a Susan Tedeschi CD in the player when I got it. The universe giveth and the universe taketh away.

Right now I'm listening to an acoustic CD that I bought at a house concert this fall by Adam + Kris, who are out of Portland:http://www.sweetjuice.com/adam_n_kris.aspThere's a GenX love song on it called 'Mose Isley Station' with lines like "Yesterday my thoughts were on the dark side and I don't know what's wrong anymore....I'd drop it all and go back to my family, if only these droids would let me..."Here are the lyrics to a couple of other songs on it:http://www.sweetjuice.com/music.asp#corrodedangelshttp://www.sweetjuice.com/music.asp#theapple

Annmarie’s Musical Massacre

> Most Essential Album of the Year:The Brian Jonestown Massacre, ...And This is Our Music

> Essential Albums of the Year:Dead Meadow - Shivering King and OthersBlack Rebel Motorcycle Club, Take Them On, On Your OwnThe High Dials, A New DevotionOutkast, Speakerboxxx/The Love BelowLilys, PrecollectionThe Capitol Years, Pussyfootin'

> Almost Essential:The White Stripes, Elephant; The Strokes, Room on Fire; The Dandy Warhols, Welcome to the Monkey House; Radiohead, Hail to the Thief

> Will Probably Grow to Be Essential:British Sea Power, The Decline of British Sea PowerBeth Gibbons and Rustin Man, Out of Season

> Should've Been On Last Year's List:Mary Timony, The Golden Dove

> Because I'm Embarrassed by the Lack of New Artists On My> Essentials List, I Feel I Should Mention Bands and Singers New to> Me This Year That I Really Like:Television Personalities, The Telescopes, West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band

...and in a related category, Most Essential Reissues/Comps:The Telescopes, As Approved by the CommitteeBrian Jonestown Massacre, Spacegirl and Other FavoritesSpacemen 3, Forged Prescriptions

Most Essential Album of the YearThe Mars Volta, de-loused in the comatorium

Essential Albums of the Year (and it was a good one for Rock fans)The White Stripes, ElephantKings of Leon, Youth and YOung ManhoodYeah Yeah Yeahs, Fever to TellThe Kills, Keep on Your Mean SideThe Coral, Magic and MedicineIron & Wine, The Sea and the Rhythm (EP, but there is full lenght out too which I have to get still)Natural History, Beat Beat HeartbeatA.R.E. Weapons, self-titledRapture, Echoes (it takes nerve to name your album after one of the best albums ever, but it lives up to the name)The Occasion, 7 SongsBlur, Think Tank

Almost Essential (if only because Iron & Wine did the same thing, only better)Bonnie Prince Billy, Master and EveryoneSun Kill Moon, Ghost of the Great Highway

Anyway, here are a couple of oldies but goodies that I find essential this year:Jack Johnson, Brushfire FairytalesNorah Jones, Come Away With Me (I know it was on last year's list but whatevs..I still love it)Outkast , Speakerboxxxx (new one but will never make your top 10!)

Andrew Luvs the L’s

Lots of L's in this year's List. Hmmmm...

Most Essential Album

Liz Phair- Liz Phair

Essential Albums

Lucinda Williams- World Without TearsShelby Lynne- Identity CrisisPatty Loveless- On Your Way HomeElvis Costello- North

The Top Ten Explained: I want to apologize to The White Stripes for leaving Elephant off the list. The fact is I kept bumping it until it fell off. See I really dig the album, but it's not De Stijl for me and well it's a great record still so they're getting an honorable mention. I really tried to stick with the records that I personally listen to the most this year. This is my list and not a critics list. Bless The White Stripes, but this year they didn't make my top ten. Of course, next week, I'll probably bang my head against a wall for leaving them off. I also want to give a shout out to The New Pornopraphers for Electric Version, The Rapture's Echoes (definitely not top ten but good none-the-less), The Music's The Music (much better live than on disc), Rufus Wainright's Want One, Missy E's This Is Not A Test, The Fever's Pink On Pink, Cat Power's You Are Free, The Postal Service's Give Up, and Iggy Pop's Skull Ring. These are all some kick ass records that I dig but well, they just weren't on my mind while I was making this list. So, yeah, that's my disclaimer and now here's that top ten album list....

10. The Coral - The CoralFor a band that seems to be based around the principals of using crystal meth and acid to unhealthy proportions, they sure make some killer music. It's the sound of Strawberry Fields Forever being played three times to fast by a bunch of Lee Maver's obsessed fans. These mersey beaters have stiched to together a sail that digs into so many aspects of british pop music that it's hard for you not to get caught in the wind and be driven to a sea of pleasure.Highlights: Dreaming of You, Skeleton Key, Spanish Main

9. Fever To Tell - Yeah Yeah YeahsFirst off, this album is a bit of disappointment. It had to be. It would be next to impossible to try and capture the frantic energy of any of those early Brownies, Mighty Robot, or Tiswas shows on tape. The fact is Karen's hypersexuality, Nick's hair, and Brian's drumming (which really make's every song as killer as they are) are just to big to put onto an album. Yet, the album rocks. It rocks like any 12 year-old sugar addict singing into a hairbrush and dancing in front of her mirror to an older siblings Motley Crue record rocks. The album's absolute peek is when it strays to 'Maps' the future wedding song to a million hipsters.Highlights: Maps, Date With the Night, Tick

8. Phantom Power - Super Furry AnimalsThe Super Furry Animals have worn many hats in there time, and while I will always be partial to their earlier, dancier sound, they were their new wookie outfits rather well. Phantom Power seems to have been created by the warmth of the sun that starts shining from the first song to the last. I'd say that at points the album does wonder off to some hippie territory, but spend a day outdoors with this record in the spring and everything will feel quite nice.Highlights: Hello Sunshine, Golden Retriever, Valet Parking

7. Think Tank - BlurI really miss Graham, but I got to give credit to Damon, Alex, and Dave, they really put together a great record with Think Tank. It's funny to think that at one point Blur was at war with Oasis for best band in the UK. While the dumb left casualties, and both bands now have different line-ups, I think its safe to say that Blur have easily outshined the Gallaghers. This album has made it clear that Damon is a terrific songwriter who can brace numerous types of landscapes. In fact, I think it's safe to say that Damon is the Bob Ross of pop music. His music is always safe and beautiful, but just when you think the canvas is done he'll add a happy little tree or a swoosh of water which makes it that much better.Highlights: Battery In My Leg, Ambulance, We've Got A File On You

6. The Work of Director Spike Jonze DVDFirst off, let's just acknowledge that all the videos on this were made before 2003, but I really don't give a fuck. This compilation is brilliant and its one of the best mix albums put out this year. Every video is so entertaining and cool looking. Every song is great. All the bonus material is hysterical. Jesus, Spike is just cool-as-fuck. He's an amazing director and this anthology of his work makes for a killer mix cd. It's crazy to realize that he's directed video's for everyone from Dinasour Jr to the Breeders to Notorious B.I.G. to Bjork. To watch Spike direct his former wife Sofia Coppola as a ballet dancer is classic in The Chemical Brother's 'Elektrobank' video. The whole director series are worth buying but this one stands ahead of the rest by far.Highlights: Fat Lip's 'What's Up Fat Lip?', Notorious B.I.G.'s 'Skys The Limit',MC 900ft Jesus's 'If I Only Had A Brain', Chemical Brother's 'Elektrobank'

5. NY: The Next Wave - Various ArtistsWhether you think that the music scene in New York is getting better or worse, I feel its fair to say thatKanine Records has put together a could-be classic compilation of New York's best bands that may one day stand as a reminder of the cities current, vibrant music scene. Although a bunch of these bands have gone out and gotten major labels, lord knows that it's only a matter of time until a majority of the other bands get picked up as well. What I really dig about this set is that it just shows how much damn fine bands there is right now in New York besides the bands you can now read about in every national magazine.Highlights: Mommy & Daddy's 'Take It', The Fever's 'Labor of Love', Elefant's 'Bookie', Sea Ray's 'Revelry'

4. Room On Fire - The StrokesGod damnit, I hate that this is so high on my list, but the fact is I still listen to it all the time. What Ever Happened? is a great leadoff song, Under Control is a single of the year, and The End Has No End could be a killer theme song for Corey Feldman's comeback movie. Every song is a single, and every song can fit on mix tape. The only thing that keeps this from being an undeniable classic is the exclusion of the new track featuring Regina Spektor 'Postmodern Girl', which is the first song that really breaks out of The Strokes Sound (tm) and is a signal that these boys will be around for a long, long time.Highlights: The End Has No End, Whatever Happened?, Under Control

3. Pig Lib – Stephen MalkmusThe day after my first car accident, I had tickets to see Pavement and Guided By Voices at the Roseland. I was in no mood to go but my friends forced me to go. I was still in a pissed off mood throughout GBV's set, but when Pavement went on, my entire body felt different. I fel overjoyed and at ease and it was one of those shows where you wish the band would never leave the stage. So yes, I dig Pavement and if this Stephen's return to a more Pavement-esque sound, I'm all cool with that. Its nice to hear Stephen sing so poeticly about eating a girl out. It's the equivilant of having the word blowjob turn up in the Sunday New York Times crossword.Highlights: Venessa From Queens, 1% of One, (Do Not Feed The) Oysters

2. Ghosts of the Great Highway - Sun Kil MoonTwo years ago, a girl I was interested in told me she was going to see Mark Kozelek's other band, Red House Painters, at the Bowery Ballroom and asked me to join her. I had to work late and told her I'd try and make it. I ended up getting to the venue only find out it was sold out. The doorman took pity on me and let me in just as the show was starting. I couldn't find the girl and stopped looking after a little while. The songs were so beautiful and Mark was just brilliant and as he continued on with his two hour plus show I got increasingly sad that I wasn't watching it with the girl. After an hour and half of the show, I cut my way through the middle of the crowd in another attempt to find her, when I finally found her as she was wandering the crowd for me. The second we finally were next to each other I asked her to be my girlfriend. If a good relationship is something that continues to build and grow into something even more beautiful, Sun Kil Moon is Mark's perfect new beginning from his previous band. It's a gorgeous record that deserves to be a classic.Highlights: Carry Me Ohio, Duk Koo Kim, Gentle Moon

1. Hail To The Thief – RadioheadIf pop music was a science, Radiohead would have been a one-hit wonder. The fact that we ever heard from them after 'Creep' defies all the logic behind pop music. After their debut they came out with three back-to-back brilliant albums (The Bends, OK Computer, and my personal favorite Kid A), they followed up with Amnesiac and then defied logic again by releasing a great live record. Which brings us to Hail To The Thief, another masterpiece that gets better and better everytime I listen to it. It amazes me how everything they do feels like an event; from the day Johnny Greenwood leaked it online, to the day it went onsale, to the Beacon Theatre show, to the stunning two night stand at Madison Square Garden where they played virtually every song off the album, they've proved to me that its another jewel in their crown as the kings of modern music. The lyrics spin the perfect mix of politics, fear, cubicle living, and fatherhood into fourteen brilliant songs. The album hasn't left my album rotation since it came out and it probably won't until their next record comes out.Highlights: Wolf At The Door, 2+2=5, Sail To The Moon

Kevin, Prisoner on the Chain Gang of Love

Okay. I had a difficult time with this because most of the bands I've had an eye on made good records, but not as good as their previous one -- see: The Dirtbombs, The Drive-By Truckers, and The Go. Anyhoo, here goes:

MOST ESSENTIAL ALBUMS OF 20031. The Drive-By Truckers, Decoration Day -- they still got it, but let's hope they continue giving us more "Sink Hole" than "Outfit."2. The Dirtbombs, Dangerous Magical Noise -- Mick Collins is the coolest guy on the planet. Not even a close second.3. Cat Power, You Are Free -- nothing risky, but everything good.4. The Black Keys, Thickfreakness5. The Raveonettes, Chain Gang of Love7. The Go, Go8. Lucinda Williams, World Without Tears9. The White Stripes, Elephant10. The Voltaire Brothers, I Sing the Booty Electric -- have I mentioned that Mick Collins is the coolest guy on the planet? (plus, on this one, a cameo by Reverend Minister Doctor Overseer Jamaal Shabazz X.)

MOST ESSENTIAL RE-ISSUES OF 2003:1. Neil Young, On the Beach -- holy christ, this is good.2. Blacktop, I've Got a Baaaad Feelin' About This -- yet ANOTHER Mick Collins project3. The Coup, Steal This Double Album (originally released only a few years ago as "Steal This Album")4. Andrew Hill, Passing Ships -- the never-ending brilliance of hard bop continues5. Waylon Jennings, Lonesome On'ry and Mean

ALBUM THAT'S PROBABLY GOOD BUT I HAVEN'T LISTENED TO:Sam Roberts, We Were Born in a Flame

BEST LIVE ALBUM:Sugarfix, Sugarfix Live at the Chukker (yo! they brought the venue more dough than Cat Power. Of course, Sugarfix is content to be paid in booze.)

2002 ALBUM I MISSED LAST YEARKo and the Knockouts, Ko and the Knockouts -- the guiltiest of pleasures

Oh, and dishonourable mention? The albums that pissed me off? Hereyou go:01. Dashboard Confessional - A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar. --I really liked the earlier stuff. I dig the acoustic vibe onthose... Somebody needs to get this guy away from his full band. Ihate this lots.

02. Brand New - Deja Entendu -- Hey, jerks, don't release a singlethat's amazing... and an album that sounds nothing like it. I hateyou.

04. Travis - whatever that album is called. There's only one goodsong on it, and it's "Love Will Come Through," which was availablefor download months and months before the album. That was worth the$1.50. The album, however, is boring and trite, and really, Travisshouldn't try to have a complex meaning or politics. Yawn

I acquired twenty-six newly released albums in 2003. Here they are in the order of how essential they are to me, and to put it all in perspective, I’ve guessed where these albums might rank on a list of my top 2,500 most essential albums of all-time:

Previously released albums I finally picked up in 2003:The Kinks, Are the Village Green Preservation Society (241)Blondie, Parallel Lines (303)Spoon, Kill the Moonlight & Girls Can Tell (316 & 365)T. Rex, The Slider (420)The Paybacks, Knock Loud (456)The Exploding Hearts, Guitar Romantic (501)…and too many others, but I’ll stop at #503, which is obviously U2’s Actung Baby, which I purchased in Auburn, Alabama in November of 1991.

Also of note, 2003 was the year I finally quit depending on my tapes, LPs, and compilations for my Beatles and Led Zeppelin needs. I acquired the complete recordings (on CD) of both bands. Many of the albums in these two collections would rank very high on my all-time list. The Beatles’ Revolver would, for example, be #1. –Brant

Biggest disappointment: Liz Phair (she and Ryan Adams should be hostingAccess Hollywood)Most unfortunate band break-up: Urban Hog Wranglers.Best music writing (though originally published in 2001): Paul Tough’s“City Still Breathing: Listening to the Weakerthans.” (seehttp://www.geist.com/issues/45/tough.html )2003 Told-You-So: Radiohead sucks. I’ve been saying it since theClinton Administration.

Alistair’s Nashville Pickin’

Okay, here comes the 2003 Nashville bluegrass quota. I swear, I do listen to other music (although I did think the Postal Service delivered the mail, until your email). It's just that, if I'm going to be honest about the "essential" qualifier, these days it's probably going to involve an acoustic guitar and at least one mandolin, fiddle, or banjo. All in the name of diversity, my friend. I do like that new Jason Mraz video. You know, the one with the dancing riot squad and the mutable plot line.

Most Essential Album of the Year:

Tim O'Brien, Traveler

Essential Albums of the Year:

1.Wayfaring Strangers, This Train (a crazy mix of bluegrass, gospel, jazz, klezmer, dixieland, and some of the best female vocals around that -- even crazier -- works so well it left me laughing out loud in amazed glee)2. Gillian Welch, Soul Journey (not as earth-shaking as Time (The Revelator), but Gillian and David can do little wrong in my book, and "One Little Song" is a brilliant ode to the creative existential crisis)3. Bryan Sutton, Bluegrass Guitar (Bryan Sutton is one of those machine gun bluegrass guitar guys who can play more notes per second than should be humanly possible, but on this record, he stops showing off and takes the time to play some gorgeous instrumentals, full of depth and surprise. Even better, he chose a ridiculously talented guy who used to work at the sewage treatment plant in Mountain View, Arkansas -- and who had not, and has not, made it big -- to play fiddle on the record, and he blew it away. I like that.)4. Chris Thile and Mike Marshall, Into the Cauldron (Two musical geniouses hang out and make a record. What else need be said?)Hilary Hahn, Bach Concertos (Honorary fiddle player -- and I stand by my previous statement that Bach and bluegrass are just a flat seventh away from each other)

Most Essential Live Shows of 2003:

1. Tim O'Brien Band, Bela Fleck, John Prine, Beth Neilsen Chapman, Concert for Peace, Belcourt Theatre, Nashville, Tennessee2. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Soul Journey album release concert, Belcourt Theatre, Nashville, Tennessee3. Hot Rize reunion concert, Merlefest, Wilkesboro, North Carolina (and every other act at Merlefest, for that matter)4. Old Crow Medicine Show: any show at the Station Inn, Nashville, Tennessee5. Five old guys I don't know standing around in a horse barn tearing it up at the Full Moon Pickin' Party, Percy Warner State Park, Nashville, Tennessee

Lost In Translation Soundtrack - perfect fit with the film, or withoutMoby, 18 B-Sides CD/DVD - Ok, a 3rd essential Moby album in 5 years? Ridiculous. But this is a strong 13 track record, with 30 extra songs on the DVD, also a 70+ minute DJ mix by Moby AND a full-length live concert AND all the videos from 18 AND extra comedy bits that I haven't even seen yet ALL for the price of a regular CD which makes it ESSENTIAL on value alone. Everyone should support artists who think this creatively and package stuff for the fans benefit.

Look at me, waiting until the last minute! Well, I felt the pressure, knowing that my picks would make or break many careers, but, alas, I decided to stop being such a wimp and make a decision already!! Here it is (drumrolll, please!)

eek don't think i can as am getting ready to leave:cat power--you are free comes to mind as fabulous fabulousyeah yeah yeahs i really liked yes yes yessheryl crow c'mon c'mon toothe last moloko albumokay and this is by far my favorite though it's not 'new'--the anthologydouble album of all the b52s songs, naked on the moon? or something on the moon? i never remember these titles since theyre all in my ipod.ooh, and am liking the darkness a lot!last blondie is cool too.

Beth Is Just Like Honey

Oops, I really am a shirker! Here are my picks...

Soundtrack, Lost in TranslationLiz Phair, Liz Phair

And I think those were the only new albums I bought this year. ;-)

I Need Terra So Much Closer

Most Essential Album of 2003:Death Cab for Cutie, Transatlanticism (was there any doubt?)

2nd Most Essential Album of 2003:The Postal Service, Give Up

Other Albums that I got in 2003 That are Very Essential:Lost in Translation SoundtrackJohn Mayer, Heavier ThingsJohn Mayer, Room for SquaresRufus Wainwright, Want OneJohnny Cash, Solitary ManColdplay, Parachutes (Yes I am behind the times but this just goes to show how very essential the album is, right? That it's still essential even after the newer album has made the Most Essential list??)

[Note to self: THERE ARE NO WOMEN ON YOUR LIST THIS YEAR!!]

PS: The White Stripes will never be essential to me.

A Surprise Discovery in 2003 That is, Essentially, Worth Noting:The soundtrack for The Postman. It has this adorable sweet music but, more importantly, a bunch of cool people like Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close and, yes, Wesley Snipes reading Pablo Neruda poems.

And there's no point in me being embarrassed about there being no new artists on my list because that would mean, essentially, being completely embarrassed about my entire existence and that's just not helpful to anyone.

And I'm not naming any essential songs. That's private and besides for me it really fluxuates a lot.

Fiona Plays Phair

here are some of the things that helped me get through the year--in no particular order (and, personally, I think it's an eclectic selection not a schizophrenic one . . . just for the record):

1. Liz Phair, Liz Phair--she may have gone "pop" as some people claim

2. Jason Mraz, Waiting for My Rocket to Come-it may be fluff, but it’s feel good fun.

3. John Mayer, Heavier Things

4. Lyle Lovett, Smile-I’ve had a Lyle Lovett obsession for a while. These are covers of old movie songs-standards sung with style.

5. Johnny Cash, American IV: The Man Comes Around - The man will always be a national treasure.

6. Evanescence, Fallen-okay, friends tell me that The White Stripes album is more challenging and that this is really pop . . . guess I’m just not in to being overly challenged right now.

7. The Boy From Oz--the Soundtrack (Hugh Jackman . . . he can sing and he's hot . . . yeah, I'm pathetic. Seriously, the music is ridiculously catchy and how often do you get to hear Liza and Judy impressions? Makes me laugh a lot.)

8. Master and Commander-Soundtrack-not just my Russell fixation!-some gorgeous classical music and some wonderful traditionals. Great music to listen to when you’re relaxing.

9. The Lord of the Rings-trilogy soundtracks by Howard Shore-music that really captures the mood of the films without being intrusive or overwhelming.

10. Mozart’s Don Giovanni (Bryn Terfel, Renee Fleming, and many more). I’m going to see the opera in March and wanted to reacquaint myself with it. Powerful, powerful singing. And just to throw something really different into the mix.